Man, 28, slain at West Side park

April 03, 2009

A 28-year-old man was shot and killed this afternoon when gunfire broke out at a West Side park, authorities said.

Steven Eaton was shot several times, including once in the head, around 3:50 p.m. in Davis Park, a small playlot in the 5400 block of West Division Street, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.

Eaton, of the 800 block of South Green Street, was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 4 p.m.

At the scene this evening, Edwin Berrios, 50, paused his bicycle to check out the playground roped off by police tape.

"This is sickening," Berrios said. "This is an epidemic in the city of Chicago, and they're worried about the damn Olympics."

The basketball court, where police said the man was shot, was surrounded by red police tape. Just in front of it were three swings for babies and five for older children.

A playset with a tire swing and slide sat empty in front of a brightly decorated wall. Above a depiction of Chicago's skyline were painted three different-colored arms and hands holding up a sleeping infant. Scribbled in bold print were the words: "It takes a village."

Robbie Wilkerson, senior pastor with New Birth Christian Center, said he was called out to the scene to try to ward off any retaliation after the shooting.

"It's tough keeping the neighborhood peaceful, especically around this time," he said, noting the spring weather is drawing more people out of their homes.